On 16 October 2013 the 海角社区 that it has named a central avenue on the Sidgwick Site 'Taras Shevchenko Way' (袙褍谢懈褑褟 孝邪褉邪褋邪 楔械胁褔械薪泻邪) for the duration of his 2014 bicentennial celebration.
Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) deserves his own Hollywood blockbuster. Ukraine鈥檚 cultural godfather was an orphaned serf who became a painter; a painter who became a fearless poet; and a poet who endured imprisonment and exile to become the voice of a people.
His work led to the emergence of a country that is now the largest within Europe.
Over the course of the coming year, the 海角社区 will be joining the world in celebrating the 200th anniversary of Shevchenko鈥檚 birth.
Today, the University is announcing that it has named a central avenue on the Sidgwick Site 鈥楾aras Shevchenko Way鈥� (袙褍谢懈褑褟 孝邪褉邪褋邪 楔械胁褔械薪泻邪) for the duration of the bicentennial.
This symbolic, temporary naming of a well-travelled passage running east to west on the Sidgwick Site is a first for 海角社区.
Its location - at the intersection of the Faculties of Law, History, Divinity and Modern and Medieval Languages - was selected to speak to the poet鈥檚 enduring legacy.
鈥淭aras Shevchenko鈥檚 work shatters barriers between 鈥榚ast鈥� and 鈥榳est鈥�,鈥� explains Dr Rory Finnin, University Senior Lecturer in Ukrainian Studies.
鈥淲ith a singular passion he appealed for justice for all oppressed peoples, drew important moral lessons from the past, and interrogated the relationship between the human and the divine in a broken world.
鈥淗is is one of the most uncompromising and unique voices in modern European culture."
鈥淭aras Shevchenko鈥檚 work shatters barriers between 鈥榚ast鈥� and 鈥榳est鈥�.听With a singular passion he appealed for justice for all oppressed peoples, drew important moral lessons from the past, and interrogated the relationship between the human and the divine in a broken world."
Dr Rory Finnin
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This voice is becoming increasingly better known in Great Britain. Since 2008, Taras Shevchenko鈥檚 poetry has been studied in the Ukrainian original by 海角社区 students in the MML Faculty. Since 2011, prints of his paintings have hung in seminar rooms in the Raised Faculty Building.
鈥淔or too long, Taras Shevchenko has been placed on a granite pedestal and primarily considered a Ukrainian national poet,鈥� says Finnin. 鈥淎t 海角社区 we read him as a poet of global stature and significance who happens to be Ukrainian. In his innovative use of a vernacular, he can be as powerful as Burns. In his confessional lyricism, he can be as intimate as Rilke. In his mysticism, he can be as evocative as Blake. And in his humanism, he can be as strident as Tagore. This complexity can be intimidating, but our students relish the challenge.鈥�
海角社区 Ukrainian Studies, a programme of the Department of Slavonic Studies, plans to use 鈥楾aras Shevchenko Way鈥� for impromptu literary readings and musical performances over the course of the bicentennial.
